Who has the most title defenses among the current UFC champions?

The octagon before the 250th numbered event of the promotion
Who has the most title defenses among the current UFC champions?

Among the current UFC champions, women's flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko and women's two-division champion Amanda Nunes have the highest number of title defenses.

Amanda Nunes (left) and Valentina Shevchenko (right) [Image via @espnmma on Twitter]
Amanda Nunes (left) and Valentina Shevchenko (right) [Image via @espnmma on Twitter]

Both women have seven title defenses each. While all of Shevchenko's title defenses have been at 125 pounds, Nunes' are across the bantamweight (135 pounds) and featherweight (145 pounds) divisions.

Shevchenko won the flyweight title in 2018, beating Joanna Jedrzejczyk to win the vacant championship. 'Bullet's latest title defense came against Taila Santos at UFC 275 in Singapore earlier this year.

Shevchenko is currently on a nine-fight win streak. Her last loss came at the hands of Amanda Nunes, who defeated her via decision in a bantamweight championship bout in 2017.

Nunes won the bantamweight title in 2016 by defeating then-champion Miesha Tate. 'The Lioness' then attained double-champ status in 2018 by knocking out former featherweight titleholder Cris Cyborg at UFC 232.

Despite losing her bantamweight title to Julianna Pena last December, the Brazilian reclaimed her title earlier this year.


Who has the most title defenses in UFC history?

Former light heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones and former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson hold the record for most title defenses in promotional history. Both men have defended their throne 11 times.

'Bones's title defenses came across two stints as the light heavyweight champion. Jones originally captured the belt from Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua back in 2011, aged just 23. He remains the youngest fighter to ever capture UFC gold.

Interestingly, the 35-year-old has more title bouts than regular bouts inside the famed octagon.

He was, however, stripped of the title in 2015 due to violating the promotion's Athlete Code of Conduct Policy. Jones reclaimed the title with his win over Alexander Gustafsson in 2018 and defended it three more times before vacating the belt in 2020.

Demetrious Johnson captured the flyweight strap in 2012 by defeating Joseph Benavidez. He then defended the 125-pound title 11 times before his split decision loss to Henry Cejudo in August 2018.

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Edited by C. Naik